(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to protective wear. More specifically, the invention relates to flexible body armor designed to defeat high-velocity projectiles.
(2) Background
Advances in body armor are frequently related to development of improved materials from which the armor is formed. In recent years, ballistic resistant materials formed from high tensile strength fibers, such as aramid fibers or polyethylene fibers, have gone into common use in the field. Unfortunately, soft body armor, even with these advanced materials, has proven insufficient to thwart even armor-piercing pistol ammunition, sharp thrusting implements, and circular penetrators, all of which are now in common use.
To address this problem, various hard metal plating systems have been developed. One such system employs a number of titanium discs one inch in diameter and 0.032-0.050 inches in thickness laid out in overlapping rows such that in the interior of a row, a disk overlaps its predecessor in the row and is overlapped by its successor in the row. Subsequent rows overlap their predecessor and are overlapped by their successor. The coin layout is then attached to a substrate such as adhesive impregnated aramid fabric. A second layer of adhesive impregnated aramid may be used to envelope the "plate" formed by the coins. This enveloped plate can be attached to conventional soft body armor over vital organs. It provides good flexibility and is thin enough to conceal.
While this overlapping of the coins has been shown to spread the force effectively to defeat most existing armor-piercing pistol rounds, sharp thrusting implements, and circular penetrators, unfortunately, rifle rounds continue to tear through this plating structure, as well as the underlying soft body armor like a hot knife through butter. Thus, for protection from rifle rounds, users have been required to employ large rigid plates to shield the vital organs. These large plates are heavy and inflexible, and generally uncomfortable to use. Additionally, they are next to impossible to use in a concealed manner. Efforts to employ the coin design with thicker disks have failed to yield a commercially viable product to defeat rifle rounds. Thicker disks result in less flexibility and do not lay out well. The result is a plating structure thicker, no more flexible, and heavier than the solid plates discussed above. Wearer comfort is also a premium concern in body armor production. Accordingly, these limitations make such a structure impractical as a commercial product.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to have a flexible armoring system that would defeat high-velocity projectiles, such as rifle rounds.